A federal judge in Louisiana, Terry Doughty, expressed concerns on Friday regarding the deportation of a U.S. citizen child, identified as VML, to Honduras with her mother, who was ordered removed. Doughty noted that the child appeared to have been deported without adequate due process. The judge highlighted the government’s claim that the deportation was acceptable because the mother wished for it. However, Doughty questioned the legitimacy of this assertion.
The incident took place after Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) apprehended the mother and her children during a scheduled meeting. Their deportation was swift; by 1:06 p.m. on the same day, they had already arrived in Honduras. Doughty scheduled a hearing for May 16 to address concerns that a U.S. citizen was deported without proper legal proceedings.
VML, born in Baton Rouge in January 2023, is a U.S. citizen, while her sibling, aged 11, was born in Honduras. The child’s father, living in the U.S., sought custody after the mother’s detention, stating he could care for VML. Attorneys for the mother argued that removing her violated the Constitution and the child’s rights.
The government’s lawyers claimed the mother has legal custody and referenced a handwritten letter in which she stated her intention to take her daughter to Honduras. This letter was written while they were in ICE custody, raising further questions about the circumstances surrounding the deportation.
Both the Department of Homeland Security and ICE did not respond to requests for comments regarding the situation, which has significant implications for due process and immigrant rights.
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